Special operations team: Ceruno

(Babaluno)

One of Sirius's maid legions.

Zara volunteered to join the team that was taking Miluno to the Breeding Facility.

Her magic is "Phase Shift," which can transport people into the Subspace.

However, there are limitations: there is no oxygen in the Subspace, so you can only hold your breath when you go in.

However, given a magical girl's physical abilities, holding her breath for a long time isn't an overly demanding condition, and it's a fairly standard spell for infiltration. It's just that in Subspace, she can't pinpoint the enemy's location, and she might just run into their guns as soon as she steps out.

With Ceruno's mother... and my mother not coming, she was one of the few substitutes.

Miss Achernar nodded.

"Zara's magic can help, so let's have the five of us."

The number of people involved in the infiltration operation should be as small as possible, so five people should be about right.

Moreover, our division of labor is very clear.

Achernar was in charge of leading the way;

My responsibilities include calming Miluno, providing soundproofing during operations, and using bubbles to block enemy surveillance.

Zara was in charge of leading us through areas where we might be discovered by the enemy;

As for Xiaoling, her magic allows us to sneak into the research institute from outside the main gate, and the damaged walls can be put back in place perfectly...

Honestly, is the "Decomposer" spell really that useful for both combat and support?

"Alright! Let's go!"

Xiaoling was full of fighting spirit, but Xiao Yi stopped her.

"Wait a moment."

"Principal, is there anything else?"

Xiao Yi looked up at SpiCa, who hadn't yet retreated back into her cocoon, and gave me some instructions:

"Ceruno, Sirius hasn't returned yet either. It's said she's flying west. You might encounter them on your way to the Second Research Institute. Viktorika might even have escaped with some people inside..."

"I know, we'll be careful."

Metal patted me on the back.

"Go, we will guard your retreat route, so you must find a way back."

"Um!"

According to Ms. Achernar, if you go west through the famous scenic spot "Betelgeuse's Great Crater" in the other world, you will find Aldebaran's Second Research Institute.

The western side of the City School is where the Ryu and Magical Girl squads are stationed, which is the line with the fewest Monster, making it quite safe.

But continuing forward will still encounter enemies, such as...

Try climbing up to the small group of Monster Soldiers at the City School; they might report our whereabouts. Considering we're about to carry out an infiltration mission, we can't give them a chance to report.

Using the bubbles, everyone floated lightly to the bottom of the pit. I pointed to the enemies clinging to the outer wall, firing at us.

"Miluno ~ Can you help me take down those Monsters?"

That's what I said.

But Miluno still couldn't understand what was being said; her lifeless eyes showed no sign of intelligence, and she even tilted her head, revealing a bewildered and adorable expression.

"Lu--?"

How can someone as out of control and even dumber Miluno be so irresistibly charming?

Only when I pointed at those Monster Soldiers again did she reluctantly release me, transforming into a streak of black lightning that grazed the outer wall of the City School, killing the enemy and swallowing their blood-stained Simulacrum Factor.

The Simulacrum Factor of the Monster Soldiers has a very low purity of darkness.

This was hardly nutritious for Miluno, and it's no wonder she wasn't interested. After dealing with the enemy, she hurriedly returned to my side and continued to cling to me like a koala hugging a tree, licking my cheeks with her tongue despite everyone's stares.

Even his restless hands started to rub my...

This is a previously unheard-of (sexual harassment) behavior. Can I interpret this as her intelligence also learning and evolving?

Miluno was already taller than me, and since I had difficulty walking, I could only sit in the bubble with Miluno and be carried by others.

Yes, just like a sedan chair.

"Luno~~"

We climbed up the Betelgeuse's Great Crater along the curved slope.

Sitting inside the bubble, held by Miluno, I looked back. The City School in the center of the pit was quite a distance away, but I could still faintly see the sounds of battle.

Looking up, I was once again struck by the wonder of this Ring World.

The world is constantly rotating, generating centrifugal force that presses things to the ground.

"Ceruno, look ahead!"

Xiaoling's reminder.

Look ahead again.

That's the enemy artillery position where Miluno landed...

But now there's no sign of the Monster Soldiers. The place is a mess, with enemy corpses more common than roadside trash cans, and none of them are intact, as if they encountered a large beast and were torn apart by its huge claws.

Of course, even the Simulacrum Factor have been consumed.

"Was all of this done by Miluno?"

Even when I asked that question, Miluno didn't understand.

"Lu..."

She closed her eyes and sniffed something on me.

She wrapped her arms, legs, and even her whole body around me, the rubbing of our skin sending pleasurable signals to my brain. If the occasion hadn't prevented it, I would have loved to reciprocate her advances...

But for now, I can only suppress that impulse.

Ceruno likes to hug something while sleeping, and this isn't the first time Miluno has hugged her like this.

But I still have half of Barbara in me, and this naivety about my feelings is stirring a chord in my heart.

"Miluno, I like you too."

Not just Ceruno or Barbara.

And as for me, Babaluno, I will definitely bring you back to your senses.

Gently Miluno's back, feeling its warmth.

If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, it would be hard to imagine that Miluno could be so aggressive.

However, she only showed docility to me; she remained hostile to others. If she wasn't around, she would actively attack... no, it should be said that she would prey on witches or Monster with Dark Energy.

Prey on the beasts of darkness.

That's extremely dangerous.

"Oh! I can see it now! Is that the tower?"

Xiaoling's voice once again pulled me back to reality.

After passing through the battlements, we saw the Second Research Institute that Miss Yi from the Achernar had mentioned.

"Yes, that's Aldebaran's Witch's Tower over there."

"The Witch's Tower? It's not that tall!"

It looks like it's only four or five stories high.

"Although it's called a tower, it's only relatively tall compared to the surrounding flat buildings... But these soldiers are a bit of a problem, aren't they?"

We haven't even gotten close to the tower yet.

Then I saw a white mist on one side.

Monster Soldiers in hazmat suits sprayed Magic Suppressant here, creating an area that magical girls could not approach.

The buildings in this area are different from the windowless metal houses on the street. They are like square shipping containers, looking somewhat rudimentary, but there are so many of them that they almost fill the open space around the tower.

Is it some kind of slum?

The Achernar provided the answer.

"This area is where the lower-ranking soldiers' barracks are located."

That is, the place where the Monster Soldiers live.

Therefore, this world also has a class system. The stronger the Monster, the better their conditions and treatment, and therefore the more they cherish their lives.

However, compared to the number of barracks, there are relatively few soldiers in sight; most of them have probably been sent to the City School as cannon fodder.

"Are these all Aldebaran's men? They're spraying Magic Suppressant! Did they know we were coming?"

Xiaoling asked a bit too urgently.

"It doesn't matter."

Magic Suppressant is indeed a troublesome agent for magical girls who lack the ability to dispel magic.

But that's no longer useful to me.